a mother's law {day 1}

My son, hear the instruction of thy father, 

and forsake not the law of thy mother: 

For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, 

and chains about thy neck.

Proverbs 1:8, 9 

When I read these verses this morning, I was struck by them from a different angle than I have been in the past.

Normally, I think: these are for me as a child--I should not forsake the spiritual upbringing my parents gave me. I think of children in general, even my own children, and how they need to learn to listen and obey-and I must teach them this.

But this morning, I noticed the words the law of thy mother-not that children should listen and obey but what they should listen to and obey. 

As the "mother" here, what is my law? 

Law means regulations, standards, rules, guidelines, doctrine.

And my law as mother should line up with God's Word in principles and doctrine. 

My law should be the same as Jesus command in Matthew 22:36-40: Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Many of my 31 days will probably come from the Proverb for the day because I decided that this month I wanted to get back into the habit of reading a Proverb-a-day. But we also have special services this month in our church... and the Lord often speaks to me through situations that arise with my children!